Sen. Mayes Middleton

Maddy summarySB 823 requires sellers of meat, poultry, and shrimp in Texas to clearly label whether these products originated in Texas. Specifically, labels must state "whether the food originated in this state" for meat, poultry, or shrimp products. This applies to all retailers and importers selling these items within Texas, directly affecting businesses that handle such food products. The law takes effect on September 1, 2025, after rules are adopted by the Health and Human Services Commission.

Maddy summaryHB 1443 creates a new criminal offense in Texas for promoting or possessing a "child-like sex doll," defined as an obscene, anatomically correct doll or robot designed to look like a child and intended for sexual use. It prohibits three specific actions: promoting such dolls (felony, second degree), possessing them with intent to promote (felony, third degree), or simply possessing them (state jail felony). The law presumes intent to promote if someone possesses two or more dolls, but includes an exception for law enforcement using them for legitimate purposes. This bill directly affects individuals who manufacture, sell, or own these dolls, making the specified actions punishable under Texas Penal Code.

Maddy summaryHB 1922 modifies when a legal claim begins for certain construction liability cases under Texas Government Code Chapter 2272. It specifies that for this chapter only, a claim accrues on the date a required report is postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service. This change does not affect other legal dates, such as insurance policy coverage or statute of limitations deadlines for other purposes. The bill directly impacts construction companies, contractors, and claimants involved in Chapter 2272 claims. It became law on June 20, 2025, and takes effect September 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 824 requires Texas public high schools to include specific civics content in their government curriculum starting with the 2025-2026 school year. It mandates that the State Board of Education adopt standards covering the roles of elected officials (statewide, county, city), Texas voting processes and election laws, eligibility requirements for office, basic parliamentary procedures, and identifying local representatives. This directly affects all Texas public high school students and educators implementing the social studies curriculum. The bill became effective immediately upon the Governor's signature on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1403 prohibits foster care agencies and state child welfare departments from requiring foster parents to disclose specific firearm types in their homes or report changes to those firearms. It also bans agencies from using any collected firearm information for purposes beyond verifying whether firearms are present in the home. Violating this provision subjects agencies to a $5,000 civil penalty per violation, enforceable by the attorney general. The bill further mandates that all firearm-related information in foster homes remains confidential and exempt from public disclosure under Texas law.

Maddy summaryHB 6 amends Texas Education Code Section 12.111 to update requirements for charter schools. The bill specifically adds new criteria allowing charter schools to exclude students who were expelled under Section 37.007, placed in disciplinary alternative education programs under Section 37.006, or have documented criminal histories or discipline problems. While the bill title mentions telehealth mental health services in public schools, the provided text does not detail provisions for telehealth access. The legislation primarily affects charter schools by modifying their student admission policies and discipline management standards. HB 6 was signed into law by the governor on June 20, 2025, and is now effective.

Maddy summaryHB 4211 creates new rules for residential arrangements where buyers purchase an interest in a business entity (like a company or LLC) that owns homes, rather than buying the homes directly. It requires sellers to clearly disclose that buyers are purchasing an entity interest - not the property itself - and prohibits entities from charging transfer fees or restricting transfers of these interests. The law also bans discrimination in these arrangements (e.g., refusing to sell to qualified buyers) and ensures disputes must be resolved in state or federal courts, not private tribunals. This applies to single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, and quadruplexes owned by such entities, protecting buyers in these specific ownership structures.

Maddy summaryHB 3689 changes how the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) funds catastrophic windstorm and hail insurance losses after major disasters. Instead of relying on public securities (which incur high interest costs), the bill authorizes the state to provide loans of up to $500 million before a disaster and $1 billion after one. TWIA would repay these loans through a surcharge on certain windstorm and hail insurance policies in coastal areas. This directly affects coastal property owners who pay these insurance premiums, as the surcharge ensures repayment of state funds used to cover disaster losses.

Maddy summaryHB 1422 changes sentencing for certain sex offenses by prohibiting probation or parole for people convicted of 17 specific crimes, including continuous sexual abuse (Penal Code §21.03), sexual assault (§22.011), and trafficking (§20A.02). It applies to offenses involving child victims, aggravated cases, or those with prior sex offense convictions. The law removes eligibility for community supervision, mandatory supervision, or parole, requiring full prison sentences for these offenses. This takes effect September 1, 2025, following gubernatorial approval on June 20, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 6 establishes new requirements for large electricity users in Texas, specifically those with a single-site demand exceeding 75 megawatts (or a lower threshold set by the commission). It requires these large users to disclose if they’re pursuing similar electricity service requests elsewhere, while protecting their submitted information from unauthorized sharing. The bill also mandates that utilities (including cooperatives and municipal systems) must pass through reasonable interconnection costs to these large users. This affects major commercial and industrial electricity consumers and their utility providers across Texas’s ERCOT power region.